missionary
UK: ˈmɪʃənəri | US: ˈmɪʃəneri
n. a person sent on a religious mission, especially to promote Christianity in foreign lands
n. a person strongly in favor of and actively promoting a particular cause or belief
The word "missionary" derives from the Latin missionarius, meaning "pertaining to a mission." The root mission- comes from mittere (to send), reflecting the core idea of being "sent out" for a purpose. The suffix -ary (from Latin -arius) denotes a person associated with an action or role. Historically, the term became prominent in the 16th century with Christian evangelism, but its secular use (e.g., "missionary zeal") emerged later. The morphemes logically combine to mean "one sent for a purpose."
The missionary traveled to remote villages to build schools and churches.
She approached her environmental work with missionary fervor.
Early Jesuit missionaries adapted local customs to spread their message.
Critics accused the organization of having a missionary agenda.
His tone was almost missionary when he spoke about renewable energy.